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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29403741">The Rest of Forever</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bre95611/pseuds/Bre95611'>Bre95611</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>15x20 Fix-It, Everyone's there, Heaven Fic, Implied Saileen - Freeform, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Roadhouse in Heaven (Supernatural), TheirLoveWasReal, canonverse, good sequel potential yall, literally all of em - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 03:14:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,234</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29403741</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bre95611/pseuds/Bre95611</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Dean gets to Heaven, there's some unfinished business to attend to. </p><p>aka</p><p>What if Cas was in the Harvelle's in Heaven and Dean went inside?</p><p>Written for the #TheirLoveWasReal Challenge Day 1: Canonverse</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Castiel/Dean Winchester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Their Love Was Real: a Destiel &amp; Saileen Fanworks Challenge</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Rest of Forever</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><span>When Dean first got to Heaven, he was disoriented. Everything had this...hyperreal feeling around the edges. He felt unsettled, an ache under his ribs. He saw Bobby and somehow he knew that Dean had to find Cas. Bobby jerked his head to the Roadhouse doors. He called out his thanks as he ran past him, hearing his muttered </span><em><span>took</span></em> <em><span>you long enough</span></em><span>.</span></p><p>
  <span>Dean heard the doors slam behind him as he stumbled to a stop. Ash was behind the bar, his signature mullet a sight for sore eyes. He was talking to a man sitting at the bar with his back to Dean. He saw when Ash had noticed he was there, eyes flicking back and forth between Dean and the man at the bar in front of him as a smile grew across his face. If Dean wasn't already dead, he would have thought he was having a heart attack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cas looked up from his beer to see Ash smiling at someone behind him. He could hear the door banging against it's frame. He could feel who it was as soon as he arrived, could feel the longing, the manifestation of their bond. It was like a vise around his heart. Cas smiled to himself before  turning around to see who Ash was smiling at.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hello Dean," Cas responded softly, still unsure how this reunion would go, feeling heavy knowing how little time had passed since he had sacrificed himself. He hadn't expected to see Dean so soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean seemed to crumple in on himself, falling to his knees as tears threatened to spill over. "Cas…" his voice was rough, breaking with emotion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cas quickly moved to Dean's side, falling to his knees as well. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shattered at the altar of Winchester</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Rowena had said to him once. He felt he better understood what she meant every day. He flinched when Dean's hand came out to cup his cheek, but Dean was not deterred.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean finally did what he should have done a long time ago, what he should have done the last time he saw Cas. His other hand came up to Cas's face, pressing their lips together with bruising force. He ended the kiss as suddenly as he said started it, emotions overwhelming him, words begging to be said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of </span>
  <em>
    <span>course</span>
  </em>
  <span> I love you, dumb ass!" The words flew from his mouth without conscious consent, "You're my best friend! We have </span>
  <em>
    <span>multiple children</span>
  </em>
  <span> we've helped raise together. Goddammit Cas, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>can</span>
  </em>
  <span> have me, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you've always had me."</span>
  </em>
  <span> Dean's thumb absently stroked Cas's cheek as Cas smiled back in stunned silence. He could see the tears in Cas's eyes and all Dean could think of was how similar it looked to before, when Billie was banging at the door behind Cas, the Empty opening a portal behind Dean. Anger surged through Dean, a different kind of anger, the full brunt of the heat missing now. Cas made a deal, sacrificed himself </span>
  <em>
    <span>again</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean moved quickly, hands leaving Cas's face and pushing hard against his chest instead. "I thought you were </span>
  <em>
    <span>dead,</span>
  </em>
  <span> asshole!" Dean scrambled back to his feet, chest heaving as he looked down at Cas sprawled on the ground at his feet, tears in his eyes, smiling bigger than Dean had ever seen him smile before. Dean could hear laughter bubbling up from Cas's chest, deep and ragged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cas wiped a hand down his face, pushing himself up off the ground and looking back at Dean, incredulous and enraptured. A mix of hysterics and anger burst from somewhere deep in his chest. "You </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> dead, asshole!" Cas surged forward, wrapping his arms around Dean. He hooked his chin over Dean's shoulder, turning his face into Dean's neck. They held each other, sobbing and laughing, unable to find where to start, what to say first. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After they managed to mostly calm down, the tracks of their tears beginning to dry, Cas pulled away, right hand lingering on Dean's shoulder, touching him in Heaven the same place he gripped him in Hell, and it felt different now, different than every time back on Earth they had touched like that, in moments where Cas got greedy and wanted to be close to Dean in a way no one else could. Cas's eyes fluttered closed at the shuddering sigh be heard from Dean. Cas leaned forward, pressing his lips to the corner of Dean's mouth before pulling back, speaking softly, lips trembling around the words, "You <em>love</em> me." Cas was in awe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean smirked, leaning forward and resting his forehead against Cas's, </span>
  <em>
    <span>breathing </span>
  </em>
  <span>for the first time in years, maybe ever. Dean could finally allow himself to be happy, and now he had literal eternity to spend with Cas. "I love you." Dean wasn't afraid to speak anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Someone cleared their throat behind them, and they pulled away, not enough for there to be any real distance between them, but enough to turn and see Ash, Ellen, and Jo standing behind the bar looking at the two of them, smug amusement on all their faces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jo broke the beat of awkward silence, "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Finally</span>
  </em>
  <span>! Cas here was starting to get annoying." She winked before walking to the kitchen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey there, Dean. Good to see ya," Ellen said with a smirk, following her daughter in attempting to give them some privacy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ash didn't follow suite.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Alright, my dudes, time for some celebratory shots! Congrats on the undying love and all that, been rooting for you two for a long time." Ash began rummaging behind the bar, setting out shot glasses and pouring whiskey into each of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cas and Dean walked to the bar and sat next to each other. Dean thought for a moment how normal it felt being with Cas like this, knowing how he felt for sure, instead of just the hope he could feel like that for Dean. He was euphoric knowing, but nothing had changed. Nothing was different in how they moved around each other, how they took every opportunity to touch (but now they could linger), how everything was different because it was...still all the same.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean couldn't stop smiling. Cas couldn't either.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The three of them took shots and traded stories, Dean glossing over the events since Cas had come to Heaven to help Jack and trailing off as he came closer to the moment in the barn, when he got pushed back…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ash took over for a bit then, Dean falling silent for a moment. Being actively aware he had died, but feeling as alive as he did, all at the same time was overwhelming. Dean felt a hand on his leg under the bar, Cas reassuringly squeezing his thigh. Dean took his hand, intertwining their fingers, feeling the weight of things that could wait rolling off him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ash, what did you mean, you've been rooting for us?" Dean asked. Next to him, Cas snorted into his beer. "What?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ash ran a hand through his hair, throwing out the back of his mullet, "Remember way back, when I told ya I hacked heaven? Well, I eventually managed to find a way to check in down on Earth every now and again, electric wavelengths yadda yadda, </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyway</span>
  </em>
  <span> me and the Harvelle's have been checking in, watching you two dance around each other for years now. We'd make a night of it, once a week, catching up on you guys. Finding you guys in Purgatory and Hell was a little tricky, but you're looking at </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dr. Badass</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Once I got in the first time, we were good to go." He slapped a hand against the bar, grabbed a shot, and threw it back, biting back a grimace at the bite.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean stared at him with his jaw dropped, eyes flirting back and forth between Ash and Cas, finally settling on the latter, "When'd you find out about this?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cas smiled and sipped his beer, "Pretty immediately when Jack and I started working. We still have a ways to go, but Ash has been quite helpful. Although it was slightly unsettling when he began speaking to me as if we were old friends."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean laughed. He was </span>
  <em>
    <span>happy.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The day continued with more of the same, drinking in the roadhouse as friends and family came by.  Dean felt like it had only been a few hours as he got caught up talking with the friends he hadn't seen in years, Charlie, Jo, Missouri, laughing and smiling with Cas by his side. Jack came by to say hello, and Dean pulled him into a tight hug, telling him how proud he was of him. Dean inhaled sharply when he saw Donna walk in. Cas had leaned in quickly and explained to Dean that time didn't really work the same here, especially since Jack opened the Empty and knocked down Heaven's walls. Seeing Jody and Alex walk in not too long after her was unsettling either way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean caught up with them and the rest of the girls as they showed up, the scene at Harvelle's turning into a full blown party. Charlie, Cas and Claire were playing pool, Jody and Donna were in the corner with Patience and Missouri. Mary, Bobby, and Ellen were sitting at the bar. Everyone Dean loved was here. Well...almost everyone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean had an idea. He went to the bar where his mom and Ellen were hunched over their beers talking quietly. He needed advice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ash, shots!" Dean called out as everyone in the bar cheered. More and more members of his extended family showed up, and Ash continued to pour drinks. Dean's stomach was in knots from the nerves. Dean looked across the room where Cas was sitting with Jack and Claire, heart swelling with love for the family he'd managed to construct, and he relaxed. It was almost time. Sammy'd probably be getting there soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean searched for his mom. She placed a smooth metal band in Dean's hand, pulling him in close to hug him tightly. He kissed her forehead. Neither one of them said anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eileen walked in the Roadhouse doors and Dean's stomach flipped. He knew Sam wouldn't be far behind her. He moved towards the front of the bar, pushing through the mass of bodies, every friend Dean had ever had, his extended hunter family all in one place, music playing from the jukebox in the corner and the dimmed lights creating an electric atmosphere. Eileen ran up to Dean as soon as she spotted him, bringing him in for a tight embrace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I missed you," she said, pulling back to see his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Missed you, too, sis." Dean couldn't stop smiling. "I have a surprise. Once your lesser half gets here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eileen wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. She had always been able to see right through Dean. He winked at her before heading back to the bar for another drink. He'd promised Ash he'd shotgun a beer with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Dean wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, he spotted Sam by the door, towering over everyone around him. "Ash, gimme a double," Dean said, steeling himself up for what he was about to do. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Showtime?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, Dr. Badass. It's showtime." Dean smiled. It seemed like that's all he'd been doing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean met Sam halfway from the entrance, pulling him into a tight embrace, clapping him on the back. “Good to see you, little brother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam pulled back, looking down at his brother, tears in the corners of his eyes as he responded, “Yeah, you too. It’s been...it’s been too long.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean laughed heartily, dragging Sam over to the bar, He caught Cas’s eye across the room, and felt his stomach flip, nerves mixed with overwhelming happiness. Cas smiled at him and Dean waved as he smiled back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam looked back over his shoulder to see what Dean was smiling at. “Is that Cas? I thought-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dan cut him off, “Long story. Time’s wonky here, so it feels like its only been a few hours for me. Still got a lot of catching up to do myself.” They reached the bar, where Ash had kindly left shots and beers to chase it with. Dean tossed back the shot and slammed the glass back down on the bar, watching as Sam did the same before he continued on. He’d been thinking about what to say next for...like, an </span>
  <em>
    <span>hour</span>
  </em>
  <span> in Heaven Time. At least. He clapped his hands in front of him, an anxious excitement building at what he was going to say. The fact he decided to tell Sam lessening the weight on his heart already. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean looked his brother in the eyes, ignoring the confusion he saw there, knowing it would all be cleared up soon enough. He spoke quickly, in one breath, forcing the words out of himself before some nonsensical insecurity got the best of him. “Sammy, I’m bi, and I’ve been in love with Cas since just about day one, if I’m being real honest with myself.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam looked shocked, but relieved, too. He smiled back at Dean, soft, and reached out to rest a hand on his shoulder. Sam looked down at his brother for a moment, trying to determine how to respond. He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly before speaking, “Dean. I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>kidding me?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Dean was torn between genuine anger that his brother </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> and just allowed Dean to repress such an important part of himself, and hilarity at what a monumental moment he had turned this into in his mind, telling himself that it would be </span>
  <em>
    <span>different </span>
  </em>
  <span>if he came out, that its not the same as having a friend like Charlie, not the same as treating to masculine married hunters just like anyone else. And being in love with their best friend? A person they had spent more than the last decade considering family? Fuck, Dean felt like and idiot sometimes. He shoved his brother and laughed jovially, knowing none of it mattered, knowing he was surrounded by people that loved him and always would, no matter what.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sam, will you be my best man?” Dean asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam started laughing, “You proposed? Of course I will.” He pulled his brother into a hug, Dean’s feet leaving the ground for a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean laughed, rubbing his hand over the back of his neck. “About that…”He turned to search the room for Cas, finding him at a table with Donna and Charlie, playing with the cootie catcher Charlie had folded up. Dean’s heart soared, seeing his family together like this, something he never thought he would get to have again. He thought he would be stuck to his memories, faded visions of moments he held on a pedestal. But </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span>? This was a heaven he could get behind. He pushed through the crowd towards his angel, and any semblance of anxiety disappeared as Cas turned to look up at him, smiling. He put a hand in his pocket, fingering the cold steel. He cleared his throat, and saw the look on Cas’s face change. Cas tilted his head, looking up at Dean in confusion before standing in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dean, is everything alright?” Cas asked, reaching out and resting a hand on Dean’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, Cas. Everything’s good.” Dean took Cas’s left hand from where it was hanging limp by his side. “I’ve been thinking…” Dean absently rubbed the joint on Cas’s ring finger, “do you want to get married?” Cas didn’t say anything at first, shocked, and Dean continued, panic beginning to set in the longer the silence stretched. “Or not! It’s fine, I just thought... I mean, our whole family, everyone is here. It just… it seemed like a good time.” Cas’s shock turned to amusement as Dean continued to ramble. “I know you’re an angel, and I’m dead, but…” he took a deep breath, looking into Cas’s eyes, seeing tears threatening to spill over. “I love you, Cas. Let’s get hitched.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean didn’t know how his mom had found the old silver ring Dean used to wear all the time. He’d lost it ages ago, probably left it at some old motel they’d stayed at over the years, but when he’d gone to Ellen and Mom for help with all this, had said, </span>
  <em>
    <span>hey can you just make a ring appear for me, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he hadn't expected her to come through with his ring. He suspected Ash had something to do with that, science and magic being nearly one and the same to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean held the ring out for Cas, an offering, a question, a promise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cas looked at him, smiling so brightly, “Yes, Dean. Let’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>get hitched</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean and Cas jumped as the whole room erupted into cheers and applause. They’d been so enraptured with each other in that moment, it had seemed like they were alone, and the jarring sound of a bar full of drunk, rowdy hunters snapped them out of their reverie. Dean looked at Cas, slid the silver ring onto his finger, and pulled him in for a tight embrace. He kissed Cas, riding the line between chaste and explicit, to a renewed whooping from his family around him. Arms still around each other, Cas looked up at Dean with a bright smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When do you want to get married? He said he’s fully hands off, but I’m sure Jack wouldn’t mind making an exception for the cross-dimensional attendees. Rowena, Crowley, Garth...Benny. I know he was important to you.” Cas smiled. Dean didn’t know what to say. He kissed him again instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean looked at Cas, “Let’s do it now. Jack can go round up the folks were missing, Ash and Ellen can start pouring drinks and cooking burgers. Sam already said he’d be my best man, so pick out yours, let’s go get some suits and </span>
  <em>
    <span>bam!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Roadhouse wedding.” Cas didn’t say anything, and it made Dean second guess himself. It was Heaven. They had literal eternity, so why rush into a wedding? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Cas said yes? Dean was engaged. Shit. “We can wait though! Whenever is fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cas reached forward, placing a hand on Dean’s cheek. Dean couldn’t stop himself from leaning into the touch, eyes fluttering closed in ecstasy. Cas was looking at him still when he opened his eyes, “Dean, it’s okay. </span>
  <em>
    <span>We can have this.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” And there he went, reading Dean like a <em>goddamn book.</em></span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stood there for a moment longer, the people around them beginning to surge forward to congratulate the two of them. They never let go of each other, fingers linked between them as they gave one armed hugs to friends and family. Claire demanded she and Kaia be the flower girls. Donna said she was ordained and offered her services for the ceremony. Max and Alicia Banes said they would take care of outfits. Dean was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and acceptance he felt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the room began to empty as people set about moving tables and washing glasses, Cas turned to look at Dean, “A hunter’s wake turned wedding. Seems...fitting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dean squeezed his hand, “Best damn wedding Heaven’s ever seen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dean, there’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> been a wedding in Heaven,” Cas deadpanned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly.” Dean knocked his shoulder against Cas’s teasingly. He smiled softly, staring down at his boots.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If this was how his forever was starting, Dean couldn’t wait for what came next.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tumblr <a href="https://bre95611.tumblr.com/">here.</a><br/>Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/BMetcalf95">here.</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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